Liverpool’s Garlands’ Facing Closure by Drug Police

Legendary Liverpool mixed gay nightclub Garlands is facing permanent closure after 140 police stormed the club and seized and searched 300 students after allegedly learning of drug dealing on the premises.

Liverpool’s Garlands’ Facing Closure by Drug Police

Legendary Liverpool mixed gay nightclub Garlands is facing permanent closure after 140 police stormed the club and seized and searched 300 students after claiming they uncovered open drug dealing on the premises.

Just two young men were arrested following the heavy-handed raid though ITV reported that police ‘have temporarily closed the venue and will be in court this morning seeking permanent closure.’

The Northern clubbing institution celebrated its 21st birthday last year, packing in generations of clubbers over the years attracted by both the safety provided by its strict door policy and musical focus on residents more than ‘superstar’ guest DJs.

Chatting to Skrufff when he left Garlands in 2007, founding promoter Huey recalled club coming back after even tougher problems including being burnt down and a murder.

“The murder happened about six months after we opened. The club became a huge success in a very short period of time then it was taken away from us instantly because of an incident that occurred involving one of the doormen,” he recalled.

“The incident was all over the press and then the following week the club was empty. We thought ‘that’s it, it’s over, but we were resilient and we built it back up again and we survived. We survived the fire too.”

More recently, local football hero Steven Gerrard was spotted ‘raving behind the DJ booth,’ the Daily Star reported, in an article suggesting the Liverpool and England captain could soon take up professional DJing.

“Although he didn’t exactly set the decks on fire with his mixing skills, he did throw his hands around a lot while wearing the headphones,” the Star added. (http://bit.ly/1KRtK8K )